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On April 12, 1927, at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees opened their season with a game against the Philadelphia Athletics, starting a record setting season. The press dubbed the lineup "Murderers' Row," a nickname that has stuck to this day. While the 1927 Yankees were collectively known as "Murderer's Row," the most feared "murderers" were Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig, is remembered for his prowess as a hitter, his consecutive games played record, and his tearful farewell from baseball at age 36. Between 1925 and 1939, he played in 2,130 consecutive games, setting several Major League records. He was voted the greatest first baseman of all time by the Baseball Writers' Association. Lou played for the New York Yankees until his career was cut short by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), now commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease. On May 2, 1939 Gehrig benched himself telling the Yankees that he was doing so "for the good of the team". He never played baseball again. On June 21, 1939 the New York Yankees announced Gearing's retirement and proclaimed July 4, 1939 "Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day" at Yankee Stadium. Yankee Jersey No. 4 was officially retired. He inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. |
Of all the players in baseball history, none possessed as much talent and humility as Lou Gehrig. His accomplishments on the field made him an American hero, and his tragic early death made him a legend.
Lou Gehrig's farewell speech was one of the most emotional moments in the history of American sports. He started with "Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth" and concluded saying "I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for. Thank you." Lou Gehrig - Yankee Stadium, July 4, 1939 |
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